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Volunteer at Foothills Nature Preserve

  • Foothills Nature Preserve 3300 Page Mill Road Palo Alto, CA 94304 United States (map)

Join us in restoring the essential waterway and wildlife corridor at beautiful Foothills Nature Preserve! To help maintain native habitat, volunteers should expect to shovel and move wood chips, and also use clippers to prune California plants. Volunteers will also enjoy a guided hike to learn about local California ecology.

Waivers/Registration:
All volunteers attending the workday must be registered individually and have approved the online waiver through this Eventbrite page. Youth under 18 must have their legal guardian approve the waiver on their behalf. Volunteers age 12 and under require an accompanying adult.

Parking:
Meet at Foothills Nature Preserve Interpretive Center at 3300 Page Mill Rd, Palo Alto 94304. Please carpool if possible. The road up to the site is very steep and curvy. Download driving instructions ahead of time, as there is limited cell reception up on Page Mill Rd. There will be a ranger at the park entrance, and volunteers will receive entry details in their confirmation email.

Alternate Transportation:
Foothills Nature Preserve is mainly accessible by car. Strong bikers can lock their bikes to a rack on-site.

Meeting Space:
We will be meeting in front of the Interpretive Center. While there is limited cell service, there is public WiFi from the City of Palo Alto. There are several bathrooms and water fountains within a 10 minute walk.

Prepare for Working Outdoors:
Face mask for COVID-19 safety
Reusable water bottle (filled with water)
Snacks, if desired
Long pants, long sleeves recommended
Sturdy closed-toed shoes that can get dirty
Hat/sunscreen or rain gear/boots
Epi-Pen or allergy medicine, if applicable
Plan for potential exposure to sun, poison oak, ticks, prickly plants
Prepare for limited to no cell reception
We will provide gloves and tools.

COVID-19 Safety:
We feel it is especially important for people to connect with nature during these challenging times, and our staff will carefully adhere to the social distancing and safety protocols we have developed in compliance with public health guidelines. Safety is our number one priority for all of our volunteer programs! View our COVID-19 safety protocols here.

Event Cancellations:
We are committed to the safety of our staff and volunteers. In the event that we must cancel a workday due to extreme weather conditions or poor air quality, a Grassroots Ecology staff person will reach out via email no later than 5:00 PM the day prior to this event.

Join Us!
Grassroots Ecology encourages people from all identities and backgrounds to participate in our programs. Many of our programs are outdoors and involve moving and working in a variety of landscapes. If you have accessibility concerns (e.g. allergies, limited mobility, learning differences), our projects are flexible and we are happy to work with you. Please reach out to the workday facilitator so we can prepare for your participation.

Accessibility concerns? Questions? Cancellations? Email tyler@grassrootsecology.org

Earlier Event: November 6
Beautify the Bay at Cooley Landing